


Crush Culture

by Marimimi14



Series: Andrew and Neil Family's Adventures [21]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Adopted Children, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, M/M, POV Neil Josten, Parents Neil Josten & Andrew Minyard, Professional Exy (All For The Game), Professional Exy Player Andrew Minyard, Professional Exy Player Neil Josten, Soft Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, being ten is hard, cats as a support system, discussion of identity, good parents neil and andrew
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:00:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26376154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marimimi14/pseuds/Marimimi14
Summary: Juniper comes back from school not as energetic as usual. What could be bothering her? Neil and Andrew don't mind waiting until she's ready to tell them.
Relationships: Katelyn/Aaron Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Andrew and Neil Family's Adventures [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1654528
Comments: 11
Kudos: 87





	Crush Culture

Neil and Andrew were in the kitchen when the kids came back from school.

“Hey. How was school?” Neil asked when Juniper and Everest joined them.  
“It was ok.” Everest said.

Juniper stayed silent and shrugged. Neil raised an eyebrow at that. Juniper wasn’t the silent type. She always had something to say about her day. He and Andrew exchanged a glance but decided not to push her. She’ll probably talk when she’ll be ready.

“Is dinner almost ready?” She asked a voice not as strong as usual.  
“Maybe in an hour.” Andrew said.

Juniper nodded and left the room with King on her heels. They heard her bedroom door close in the distance.

“She’s been off since she climbed down the bus a few minutes earlier. It’s weird. She was fine this morning.” Everest said with a hint of concern.  
“I’m sure she’ll come to us when she’s ready. Maybe she just needs a few moments alone.” Neil reassured him.

Everest nodded and his phone chirped in his pocket at the same time. He took it out and looked between his phone and his fathers a couple of times.

“Gabby?” Andrew asked as if he already knew the answer.

The tip of Everest’s ears went red and he nodded once more. Neil smiled at him.

“Go. We’ll call you when the food is ready.” He said.  
“Ok.” Everest left the kitchen already typing away on his phone.

A few seconds later they heard his bedroom door close. Then open again when the sound scratches on his door. Sir clearly wanted to join him in his room. Then the door closed again.

“I don’t know when Everest plans on asking her out.” Neil said without really expecting an answer from Andrew.  
“Maybe this summer.” Andrew surprised him with an answer.  
“Are we betting on it right now?” Neil asked with amusement.  
“No. But I think that by now we both know him quite well. Think about it for two seconds.” Andrew said.

Neil agreed with Andrew on this point. Everest had a practical mind and waiting until summer vacations was something he would do. Like that, he wouldn’t distract Gabby from her studies, and they’ll have all the time in the world to go on dates.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

They continued cooking dinner in silence until everything was ready and they called the children to eat. Everest arrived at the table with a wide smile on his lips. Juniper still seemed to be a little off. She did try to talk about her day while she ate but she returned to silence after a couple of anecdotes. Everest looked at her for a few seconds and then took it upon himself to fill the silence. It was evident Juniper wasn’t feeling well when Everest mentioned Gabby and she didn’t even tease him.

After they ate dinner and the kitchen was all cleaned up, Andrew and Neil moved to the living room. Both kids said they had homework and went back to their room. Andrew was reading a new mystery novel that Neil had gotten for him. Neil sat next to him on the couch with a smile. Andrew looked up at him after a few seconds of silence. Neil’s smile only got broader at the sight of Andrew with his reading glasses. It still got to him that for people who thought would die young they were lucky to have gotten old enough to need reading glasses.

Andrew lifted an eyebrow up at Neil, bringing the redhead back to the present. The "starring" was left unsaid but Neil could still hear it. He turned his eyes to the tv with a short laugh. As soon as he turned the tv on Andrew put his feet on his lap as he got invested in his book.

Neil rested one hand on Andrew’s ankle as he caught up on all the exy news. He was watching a collegial game when Juniper entered the living room.

She was wearing her pyjamas. The one with the hood that gave her fox’s ears. Aaron and Katelyn had bought it for her the last time they came to visit. Just like the shirt with little foxes that Nicky gave her, it was becoming one of her favourite articles of clothing. King was cradled in her arms. She stayed up next to the couch without saying anything. Neil muted the tv at the same time Andrew closed his book.

“Is everything ok Jun?” Neil asked.

She was shifting from foot to foot and seemed to hold King tighter against her.

“Can I sit with you?” Juniper asked.  
“Sure.” Andrew said as he moved his feet from Neil’s lap, so she’d have a place between them.

Juniper nodded and sat on the now-empty cushion. King was draped on her lap. She was purring softly as Juniper buried her hand in her fur.

“What’s going on?” Neil asked.  
“I don’t know.” she said without looking up at either of them.

Neil and Andrew exchanged a look over the head of their daughter.

“Did something happen at school?” Andrew tried.  
“Maybe. I’m not sure.”  
“Do you want to talk about it? Maybe it could help.” Neil added.

Juniper took a deep breath and looked up at them and nodded.

“We’re here to listen when you’re ready.” Neil said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.  
“It’s just… today I was talking with Lydia at recess” Juniper began “And she told me she had a crush on Marty, a guy in our class.”

Neil was a little surprised by Juniper’s words. He had never thought it could be about crushes.

“Anyway, I don’t really care about that. Then she asked who I had a crush on. She didn’t believe me when I said no one.” Juniper finished with a huff.  
“And it bothered you?” Andrew asked his tone even.  
“A bit yeah. I’m not a liar.” Juniper said with a pout.

Andrew threw a quick glance at Neil. His lips were quirked up a little. Neil shook his head with a smirk. It was not the time to reminisce about their college days.

“I’m sure she wasn’t calling you a liar Jun.” Neil said with a hand on Juniper’s shoulder.  
“I tried to explain to her that I just never looked at boys, or anyone for that matter, that way. Lydia didn’t say it, but I’m sure she thinks I’m weird now. And I don’t know maybe I am. Everyone seems to have crushes. Even Everest.” Juniper said her frown getting replaced by sad eyes.

Neil’s chest seemed suddenly too big for him. What Juniper said sounded a lot like what he had thought when he was younger. During his own middle school years, people started getting excited about crushes. He never understood it. His mom and him and just started their lives on the run and he had better things to think about.

Now he knew that he wouldn’t have cared even if his childhood hadn’t been that traumatic. It took a lot of thoughts and introspection at why it bothered him when the foxes said he was gay for being with Andrew. He wouldn’t have cared if he had been gay, but the word never really clicked with him. He had never been interested in boys before Andrew. Then one day at the end of his second year, Andrew had sent him a link. He read the entirety of the website at the library. After a whole day of reading alone, he had found something that sounded like him. It was called demisexuality and he was relieved to know other people in the world felt the same. Maybe his daughter was also on the ace spectrum. Only Juniper will be able to figure this out. But it didn’t mean Neil and Andrew couldn’t help her along the way.

“It’s not weird at all. Not everyone is interested in dating or having a romantic relationship.” Neil assured her.  
“Why does everyone think it is then? I don’t know anyone who thinks like me.”  
“Society doesn’t like not understanding something. People prefer to believe it doesn’t exist at all.” Andrew said with a hint of bitterness.

Juniper looked at him with wide eyes and Andrew seemed to realize what he had said wasn’t all that comforting for his ten years old daughter. Andrew shook his head and ruffled Juniper’s hair. The gesture brought a smile back on Juniper’s lips.

“Anyway, what others think doesn’t matter.” Andrew said.  
“Exactly Jun. You have time to figure things out” Neil added. “Maybe someday your feelings will change and maybe they won’t. And whatever you think works for you will be ok.”  
“You won’t be mad if I never get a boyfriend?” She asked. “Or a girlfriend?” She added after a moment of thought.  
“As long as you’re happy that’s all that matters.” Andrew said with all his honesty.

The tension seemed to melt away from Juniper and Neil squeezed her shoulder. She looked between the two of them with a small smile and tears at the corner of her eyes. Andrew brought his hand slowly to her face and dried her tears before they could roll down her cheeks.

“Thank you, dad. Thank you, pop.” She said. “I needed that.”  
“We’re always there if you need us.” Neil assured her.

Andrew nodded when she looked at him. Assuring her that she could always come to him as well.

“So, what if I need a hug?” She asked while looking up at Neil.

Neil smiled at her and opened his arms. Juniper took the time to relocate King to Andrew’s lap so she wouldn’t smother her. Andrew frowned down at the cat but still scratched her behind her ears just like she liked it.

Juniper scooted herself closer to Neil and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Neil closed his arms around her and held her close. The last bit of tension melted away from Juniper the longer they hugged. After a few more seconds, Juniper let go of Neil and she seemed closer to her usual self than at the beginning of the evening.

She jumped from the couch and took King back in her arms. “It’s been a long day.” She said. “I’ll go to bed. Good night.” She told them around a yawn.  
“Good night Jun. Sleep well.” Neil replied.  
“Good night.” Andrew said.

Once Juniper was out of the living room, Andrew and Neil took back their previous position. But Neil didn’t turn the tv’s sound back on and Andrew didn’t pick up his book again.

“She’ll be just fine.” Andrew said after a moment of silence where Neil rubbed circles on his ankle.  
“I’m sure she’ll be.” Neil told him with a smile.

Maybe some days will be harder than others. It’s never easy trying to figure out yourself. But in the end, Neil had no doubt that their daughter would be ok.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's been a while people, but the inspiration wasn't there. I had a long summer with long hours at work and I wasn't in the right mindset to write anything. But now that school started again I seem to have a bit more free time. I hope I can find inspiration because I love this series with all my heart. If you have any ideas or suggestions I'm all ears. Once again, thank you for reading gang!


End file.
